Silhouettes, Pt II
by jamespratter
Summary: "The day after you stole my heart, everything you touched told me it would be better shared with you..." (Fire and the Thud, Arctic Monkeys) James can't fall asleep, and Lily's sleeping profile is wonderful. And maybe - just maybe - this will be a night they'll never forget. Lighthearted Jily drabble. Companion piece to Silhouettes, Pt I.


**Well, this was a lot harder to write than it should have been, lol... Hope you enjoy! If you do, please leave some feedback in the lovely box at the bottom of the page *eyebrow wiggle***

**Disclaimer: anything you recognize belongs to JKR.**

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He can't sleep.

He's tossed and turned in his four-poster bed until he can't even move anymore.

If he counts one more fucking sheep, he's going to throw it off of the fucking Astronomy Tower.

He gives up on getting any more rest tonight and heads down the steps to the common room.

He collapses in an armchair in front of the fire, sighing and rubbing his eyes.

He stares into the fire, lost in thought.

There's a sudden moan to his left and he starts, hand jumping to his wand. He relaxes when he sees that it's just Lily.

That sentence sounds dishonest even to him.

_Just Lily._

It's never been "just Lily" for him, not once. Not since he saw her for the first time in that compartment with Snape in first year, and never for an instant since then.

He examines her sleeping profile, smiling slightly at her.

Her hair is so wonderful - it's a slick waterfall of dark red, glowing in the flickering firelight.

She has one of those tiny, adorable little button noses that is covered in those fucking beautiful freckles that she hates so much.

(He thanks Merlin that Sirius doesn't know what he's thinking right now - he'd never live it down. Honestly. He was an almost-18 year-old Marauder! What was he thinking, saying things like "adorable little button noses?)

Even though her eyes are closed now, he can picture them exactly - every shade of emerald green in them, the way they darken when she's angry, the way they sparkle when she's laughing.

And her laughter itself - it's the most precious sound he's ever heard. It's so full and bubbly and wonderful and lovely and _fuck _it feels so good to know that it's been directed towards him lately. Just the knowledge that he can elicit such an amazing sound from Lily Evans herself is, well, _amazing_.

_She's_ amazing.

He loves her so much it genuinely pains him.

The way she wrinkles her nose when she laughs.

The way she tosses her hair when she's angry.

The way one side of her mouth turns upwards when she's mastered a spell.

The way she breathes out harshly when she repeatedly can't perform a spell.

The way she smiles when she's taught someone to perform a spell correctly.

The way she unconsciously narrows her eyes when someone masters a spell before her.

The way she blushes when Flitwick points her out as an example.

The way she forces a smile when Slughorn compliments her.

The way she _genuinely thinks _that she can do all this work on her own.

The way she routinely falls asleep while doing the prefect rounds charts with her mouth half-open, yet consistently refuses to let him help (he finishes the charts for her every time this happens. He has yet to get them from McGonagall himself before she can, but he's determined to do so one of these days).

Even just her _name _sends shivers down his spine. Lily. _Lily Evans. Lily Marie Evans._

_Lily._

His Lily.

Well, not yet, but someday she will be. He's sure of it.

She stirs softly as he comes and puts a blanket over her. "James?"

"Hey," he whispers. He loves the way she says his name. It's not Potter anymore - it hasn't been for a few months now. It's James. _James_.

"What are you doing down here?"

"You're beautiful," he blurts out, then bites his tongue, cursing internally. _He has been doing so well, too._

She cocks her head to the side, considering him. "You're beautiful, too," she says sleepily.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have - wait, I am?"

"Yes, of course you are, silly!" She reaches out for him. "Come here."

He obeys, too dumbstruck to say anything.

She kisses him lightly, pulling back and blushing when he doesn't respond immediately.

He pinches his leg, decides he's not dreaming, and kisses her himself.

His last thought as he drifts off is that Sirius will never believe him.

Then, wrapped in each other's arms, they finally fall asleep.

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**Terrible? Horrible? Wonderful?! Let me know what you think! (And if you haven't yet, check out Pt. I!)**

**Also! I'm thinking... I might publish a Pt III, but this time about a different couple. Any thoughts/suggestions? Much obliged :)**


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